Financial Goals

I’m a big fan of change. That being said, when I try to change too many things at once, I get overwhelmed and start to flounder. Like many people around this time of year, I start planning for too many “resolutions” and often don’t follow through on any of them.

People say you only retain a small percentage of what you hear. One of my graduate school professors had some pretty legendary sayings. I forgot most of them. However, one stayed with me: “proper preparation prevents poor performance.”

Apparently, this is part of that small percentage, because I say it all the time. (Not out loud. It’s kind of a tongue twister.) This saying applies to many things in our lives—especially those we talk about here at SALT™. Here are three situations where these can not only be “words to live by” but also words that change your life.…

You’ve gotten a job, moved out of your parents’ house, and you’re steadily chipping away at those student loans. Now what?

Beth Napper graduated from college in 1999 and wanted to figure out how to manage her own money, which naturally turned into a career as a financial adviser, helping others understand how to manage theirs. Here, she tells our own Aaron Weber about the importance of savings, as well as debt’s impact on it.…

I had some pretty big goals for 2013—financially and otherwise. But by taking time at the beginning of the year to figure out where I wanted to be at the end of 2013, I achieved them.

In addition to paying off nearly $21,000 of student loans from my undergraduate degree, I also quit my job of 2 years, moved, and went back to school for an MBA. Talk about a year of big changes for in money and lifestyle!

It’s resolution time, and over the coming days and weeks, you’ll likely notice some changes that we’re making here on the SALT™ Blog. (Sadly, it’s much easier to shed 50 posts than 50 pounds. Life is unfair.)

Of course, you probably care a lot more about the changes that you’re making this upcoming year. And so do we. In fact, we have a new interactive quiz that can help you get started.…

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, because it’s the only occasion in which I indulge fear.

For the rest of the year, I diligently avoid horror movies and ghouls to the best of my ability because I hate being scared. But come October 31, I feel obligated to lose a few nights of sleep to nightmares.

Ghosts and goblins aside, what really keeps me up at night are financial fears. Here are my top five financial nightmares. (As “nightmares,” they may not all be 100% likely to happen—but that’s what makes them so scary!)…

Tomorrow, I start a road trip to the Midwest with my son. As much as I love him, the thought of being held captive in a car all weekend, subjected to rap music for hours, isn’t really what I want to do with my time. (Though I’m sure the fall leaves will be lovely …)

However, we won’t be the only two people in the car. I’m also bringing along Dr. Meg Jay (at least, in spirit), author of The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter—And How To Make The Most Of Them Now. So, let the guilt trip—I mean, road trip!—begin.…

Last week, The To Do List hit theaters. In the film, a very type-A young woman (Aubrey Plaza) writes down a list of things she wants to do before college so she can gain, well, um, experience.

This blog doesn’t cover the specific tasks she wants to accomplish (they’re beyond even our “college and beyond” mantra); however, the way she keeps herself accountable— namely, putting it on paper—definitely seems on point for a burning question. So, here it is: How do you stick to goals that you make for yourself (financial or otherwise)?

All this month, SALT™ has content about affording stuff you want—including why you want the stuff you want.

A lot of us want to be wealthy. There’s nothing wrong with that. However, would having a million bucks ensure you actually feel like a million bucks? Being “wealthy” can mean having a lot more than just money or material items. And that stuff might not make you happy anyway.

Kathleen Burns Kingsbury, a specialist in money psychology, explains in this new article about. Check out this excerpt and click through for the full piece.…

And while you may not associate “budgeting” with fun, you probably associate “spending” with it. That’s why SALT™ has content this month about paying for stuff you want while affording stuff you need, like this new, FREE article from Elaine King on saltmoney.org.

Elaine is an international author of two award-winning books. Check out this excerpt and click through to read the full article.…

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